Modernism in art was beginning to gain a strong presence in Europe but it is interesting to observe how it also developed in Canada with its own regional qualities. Canadians were becoming introduced to a mystic movement (of which Theosophy was a part) and, with this, understanding of their surroundings began to change. The natural landscape was welcomed as an integral part of the Canadian experience and it was for the first time elevated to a status that granted it validity as a central theme in artwork. But theme was not enough to create a truly moving painting, and the Modern Canadian painters knew this; their images were not merely visual reproductions of life but analyses of seeing and of experience. The artists often described themselves as explorers or interpreters and some also promoted art as a casual activity for the public in the hopes of offering them the tools they needed to better appreciate art in general. Discussion was constant on the topic of free artistic purpose and at times it seemed a continual upward battle to convince non-artists that there was more to art than just the mere reproduction of imagery.